Irish Team ready to perform at Para Athletics World Championships

The 2017 Para Athletics World Championships get underway tomorrow in the London Olympic Stadium and Ireland's team of ten are looking forward to performing on the global stage. More than 1,100 athletes from 95 countries will compete over the ten days (14th - 23rd July) with over 250,000 tickets already sold making it by far the biggest in the event's history.

The Irish team boasts five Paralympic medallists and all ten athletes competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Led by multiple Paralympic gold medallists and defending World champions Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop this experienced team also features Cork's trio of throwing Paralympic medallists Noelle Lenihan, Orla Barry and Niamh McCarthy.

All five secured podium finishes at the last World Championships in 2015, as did Deirdre Mongan who is also named. Middle distance runner Greta Streimikyte will make her World Championship debut, as will Dublin sprinter Orla Comerford. Meath man Paul Keogan will race over 200m and 400m with Kildare wheelchair racer Patrick Monahan set to challenge over 800m and 1500m, as his favoured event; the marathon is not on the London programme.

Gold medallist from the last three Paralympic Games Michael McKillop will get the Irish challenge underway tomorrow night when he contests the heats of men's T38 800m, confident of advancing to Sunday night's final. Middle distance runner Greta Streimikyte makes her World Championship debut soon after in the final of the women's T13 1500m.

Paralympics Ireland will provide a media service for the duration of the Championships with daily press releases and all results live on Twitter. Sportsfile will be syndicating images daily reproduction fee free with further updates on Facebook and Instagram. A comprehensive website with full schedule, results and a live feed is also available at www.paraathleticschampionships.com We also have a dedicated page on our website www.paralympics.ie/competitions Channel 4 in the UK will also screen 30 hours of live coverage over the duration of the Championships.

This Irish team is proudly supported by Allianz and Flogas; official partners of Paralympics Ireland.